Iowa Christian school to train and arm staff as 'threats' arrive 'on a regular basis'

An Iowa Christian school is taking a proactive “necessary step” to protect students and staff.

According to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lindsay Laurich, Siouxland Christian School, which serves students in grades K-12, will arm certain staff members who will be specially selected and trained to protect those who they are within its walls.

He addressed the school's efforts to secure the building and protect students and staff in a letter sent to parents last week, CTIV reported

“It is an unfortunate reality that schools have become the target of those who want to do evil. Around our nation, and unfortunately closer to home, we see threats pop up on a regular basis. We pray for the community of Perry, Iowa, which experienced an active shooter event yesterday,” Laurich said in his letter to families, referring to the 17-year-old who killed one sixth-grader and wounded seven others before he killed himself the last time.week.

“Because school safety is our highest priority at Siouxland Christian School, we have determined that it is essential that we take additional measures to secure our building and ensure that your children are safe at school,” the superintendent continued.

“Starting next week, some SCS staff members who have been specially trained will be armed on campus. The School Board and Administration have developed the staff selection and training process with input from the forces of the order, our insurance company, legal counsel and industry experts. This has been a serious and diligent process over the past year,” Laurich said.

“In the event of an active shooter event, these SCS armed personnel are trained to go directly to the threat. Their response will allow faculty and students to reach safe positions and provide an active response until law enforcement order can arrive,” he explained.

The selected personnel “will remain anonymous,” the letter notes, adding that “with God's help this layer of protection will never need to be deployed.”

Laurich told the families that the decision to arm staff was a “difficult” one to make.

“When I entered the teaching profession it was unimaginable that someone would shoot students and teachers in a school. But the landscape has changed. If a tragic event were to occur at SCS, I need to be able to stand before you and say that we have done everything we can do,” he wrote.

“This is a necessary step that we have to take,” he added.

“School buildings must be safe. Teachers and children should not be afraid to go to school. We must use all the tools and resources at our disposal to be prepared for worst-case scenarios,” he said. Laurich told the families.

Last week, as students returned to school after winter break, Dylan Butler opened fire and injured the Perry High School principal, two other staff members and four students. Sadly, 11-year-old Ahmir Jolliff was killed in the attack by a 17-year-old who later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida, where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.

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